Thanksgiving recap: Top-ranked '28s who delivered

It's not easy living up to expectations, especially when you've been selected as a Top 20 prospect in your class by Prep Girls Hoops. Yesterday we told you about some lesser-known newcomers who made their presence felt at the Thanksgiving holiday tournaments. Today we're looking at some very familiar, highly regarded talent that delivered under the bright lights, as well. Among those, not surprisingly, was 2nd-ranked [player_tooltip player_id='565312' first='Ari' last='Peterson']. She has been dominating for a good while now so we'll skip the details and simply tell you that her transition to Minnetonka is going just fine thank you very much. Here are a few other Top 20 prospects who validated their ranking at Thanksgiving.   #4 [player_tooltip player_id='716527' first='Ashna' last='Ramlall'] – 2028 guard, Rosemount   The 5'9 guard can do it all… and she does it consistently. That's certainly evident in looking at Ashna's offensive production year to date. She put up 16 against Maple Grove at the Pat Patterson Invitational played at historic Hutton Arena on the campus of Hamline University. In four games so far this season, Ashna's lowest output is 14, her highest is 22, for an average north of 18 points per game. There's more to the game than scoring, of course, and the youngest of the three Ramlall sisters brings plenty of other assets to the table. She handles and distributes the ball at a high level, understands pacing and timing very well and defends with passion and energy.   #7 [player_tooltip player_id='908260' first='Maggie' last='Dyer'] & #12 [player_tooltip player_id='806429' first='Amelia' last='Mills'] – 2028 guards, Rochester Mayo   Last year as 8th graders, Dyer and Mills defied expectations and played at a level that was way beyond their years. At the Hamline tournament, it was evident that not only are the now-freshmen living up to last year's lofty standards but also their sky-high rankings. Maggie scored 21 points against Orono and 16 against St. Louis Park. Mills had 12 and 18 points in those two games. What's truly impressive is how they've become the go-to leaders for the Spartans, a duo that can be relied upon on a consistent basis. Maggie is a force who can get to the basket seemingly at will. Amelia is a crafty point guard who knows how to run the show and bury threes.   #13 [player_tooltip player_id='644898' first='Ally' last='Moore'] – 2028 guard, Orono   Pictured above, Moore drew plenty of accolades for her dramatic game-winner in an upset of the defending Class 4A state champions from Minnetonka – you can take a look at our recap of that in <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2024/12/the-week-that-was-2-there-were-no-turkeys-this-year/">The Week That Was #2</a> if you'd like the details – but she did so much more to live up to her #13 ranking. Over the weekend, Moore showcased a wide range of skills, such as her on-ball defense and ability to hit shots from the three point line – including that game-winner. In Saturday's contest with Rochester Mayo, the 9th grader also showed off her ability to grab rebounds (she had 11) and distribute (6 assists) against a tough opponent.   #14 [player_tooltip player_id='914941' first='Briana' last='Foster'] – 2028 guard, Minnehaha Academy   When we watch Briana do her thing as a 9th grader there are two things that keep coming to mind: First, she is a really mature, polished competitor already playing a key role in her first year as a Redhawk. And second, we're trying to imagine how good Foster will be once she grows a little taller and a lot stronger. Briana is a well-rounded prospect with a highly developed box of tools. She's not being depended upon to score a ton right now – [player_tooltip player_id='252379' first='Addison' last='Mack']'s 33 points per game average is leading the way for Minnehaha – but Foster is making her presence felt in a variety of ways. Through 5 games, the Top 15 prospect is averaging 7.6 points, 4 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2 steals per game.   #18 [player_tooltip player_id='630242' first='Caelyn' last='Foster'] – 2028 guard, St. Michael-Albertville   Another Foster showed off her capabilities at the Twin Cities Thanksgiving Tip Off played at White Bear Lake High School. Caelyn earned her Top 20 ranking in a variety of ways. She is a versatile competitor with plenty of length and strength for her age. Like Bri, she's not going to light up the scoreboard just yet, but she is going to put her stamp on the game in so many ways. To date, Caelyn is averaging over 5 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists per game off the bench. Don't be surprised if you see Foster in the starting lineup soon because she is definitely earning that opportunity.   #19 [player_tooltip player_id='918684' first='Quinn' last='Kemper'] – 2028 guard, Edina   Coach Dre Jefferson's Hornets have one of the youngest rosters in the state. Not surprisingly, Edina endured a plethora of growing pains last season going 4-24 in the process. All of that heartache and on-the-job learning appears to have paid off for Edina's top youngsters – Kemper included – as the Hornets have already recorded two victories in three tries. The lengthy wing/guard is a super-gifted athlete with plenty of bounce who can now hang with much older, more experienced opponents. She scored 22 points on the big college court at Hamline on Saturday and clearly demonstrated why she is the 19th-ranked freshman in the state.   PGH scout Ally McGinnis contributed to these player evaluations.

It's not easy living up to expectations, especially when you've been selected as a Top 20 prospect in your class by Prep Girls Hoops. Yesterday we told you about some lesser-known newcomers who made their presence felt at the Thanksgiving holiday tournaments. Today we're looking at some very familiar, highly regarded talent that delivered under the bright lights, as well. Among those, not surprisingly, was 2nd-ranked Ari Peterson Ari Peterson 6'1" | SG Minnetonka | 2028 State MN . She has been dominating for a good while now so we'll skip the details and simply tell you that her transition to Minnetonka is going just fine thank you very much. Here are a few other Top 20 prospects who validated their ranking at Thanksgiving.